


The Sunset's Warm Glow

by whenudontsucceed



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, M/M, Pining, Soriku - Freeform, This is the worst thing ive written, Unrequited Love, all that jazz is my jam, also not proof-read, also terraqua if you squint, kinda its kinda easy to spot, love heartbreak, obviously i love hurting riku, really dont expect anything good, really is, well anyway enjoy, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 23:52:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18083375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whenudontsucceed/pseuds/whenudontsucceed
Summary: Riku tries to deal with his unrequited feelings his childhood best friend, but it isn't as easy as he thinks. He can feel his facade fade away with the setting sun, melted ice cream on his fingers.





	The Sunset's Warm Glow

**Author's Note:**

> long·ing
> 
> /ˈlôNGiNG/
> 
> noun
> 
> a yearning desire.

Riku started to understand why Roxas, Axel, and Xion were so big on sea-salt ice cream. He just wishes his heart was a bit stronger.

  


Every time everyone got together on the clock tower at Twilight Town, they would try their hardest to fit on that small weathered ledge, laughing as the ice cream started to melt and drip over their fingers and onto their clothes. If asked what he thought of the whole ordeal, Riku would say it felt like a dream- and if so, he wouldn’t want to wake up. Defeating Ansem, Xemnas, and Xehanort, working alongside DiZ and Namine, and taking his Mark of Mastery exam, never in his wildest dreams would he have predicted that one day, he’d be building a raft with his two best friends to live his world and then the next, using incredible powers that sounded like they came out of storybooks and fighting miles away from the small island he called home. 

  


He shook his head, taking a small bite of his popsicle as he heard Xion and Kairi talk about their magic.  “Hey, Riku, which type of magic is the most useful in long-range combat?” Xion looked over Kairi’s back curiously, stopping the boy halfway through a bite. “I say fire, but Kairi says lightning. What do you think?” 

  


Riku lowered his hand onto his lap, looking at her, then at the sunset. “Depends on the situation, really. If it’s a single target, then Firaga. If it’s multiple enemies, Thundaga has the most range.” He raised his hand and took another bite of his ice cream. “Technically, you’re both right.” 

  


Xion tilted her head in thought. “Huh, I never thought of it like that…”

  


“Me neither, but it makes sense!” Kairi finished her ice cream, about to pocket the popsicle stick to throw away later, but gasped when she saw the letters written on it. “Xion, Xion, look! I got the winner popsicle stick!”

  


That seemed to get everyone’s attention, as Sora, Roxas, Olette, and Hayner all got up and crowded near her. “No fair! I’ve been eating these things since I was a kid, and not once have I gotten that!” Olette whined, everyone else bursting out into laughter at the sight. Riku chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips. 

  


This- moments like this- made all the blood, sweat, and tears worth it. Yes, sometimes he would catch himself thinking how different his life would be if darkness never took the Destiny Islands in the first place, but would quickly remind himself that had it not, Ventus, Aqua, Terra, everyone- would have continued suffering at the hands of Xehanort. It was fated to happen, and so Riku wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

  


“Congrats!” Sora put his hand on Kairi’s shoulder, kissing her cheek. “I wonder if you get a prize if you turn it into the mailbox or something….” 

  


Riku’s smile slipped off his face, but he quickly fixed himself and replaced it with another. It didn’t quite reach his eyes like before, but it was alright- it didn’t need to.  __

  


“Why don’t you go to the store and find out?” Aqua spoke up, sitting between Ventus and Terra with her own ice cream in hand. “Maybe you have to turn it into the store owner to get your prize?”

  


“That’s a great idea!” Hayner pumped his fists in the air, starting to run to the staircase, Olette following close after. “Last one there has to buy all of us one more popsicle!” And with that said, Roxas took off, Sora stuttering. “H-Hold on, that isn’t fair!”

  


Kairi laughed, getting up and dusting herself off before grabbing Sora’s arm as she tugged him the direction the others just disappeared to. “Come on, we have to win! I don’t have any munny!” 

  


Sora nodded, a wide smile on his lips as he took hold of her hand in his own. “Let’s go!”

  


Riku’s eyes trailed down to their hands until they turned around the corner, turning his gaze to the rest of the ice cream that was starting to melt and drip onto his fingers. He was happy for them both, he really was. He’s grown up watching them fall in love with each other, and yet it shouldn’t have hit him as hard as it did. The moment he realized he fell in love with Sora, he started building walls around his heart stone by stone, brick by brick, to keep his emotions for his best friend hidden and locked. He never expected it to fail him until it all crashed down with a simple sentence. He loved Sora, appreciated him, but if he was truly the happiest with Kairi, then so be it. He’ll cradle the remnants of broken stone and brick and slowly remake the wall, if he had to. This time, however, he’ll use this wall to prevent his foolish, unrealistic desire to escape him.

  


Aqua and Ventus laughed after them, Aqua leaning her head on Tera’s shoulder. “They’re so cute together... The beauty of young love, hm?” 

  


Riku’s eyes started to burn, so he did the only thing he knew best, and he shoved the rest of his ice cream into his mouth. He was foolish, foolish, foolish. Foolish for thinking that Sora may feel something for him after all that they went through. Fighting side by side, protecting each other, nearly dying for each other- that did bring them closer than ever before, Riku couldn’t deny- but it wasn’t as close as he wanted them to be. That foolish side of him thought, once, that maybe, it could make Sora’s love for Kairi disappear, aided by the fact that time had separated them for the longest they have ever been apart. But Riku knew.

  


Foolish, foolish, foolish. He should have realized that a love that had been blooming for more than half of his life couldn’t be broken that easily. Time and space and the universe itself could rip them away from each other time and time and time again, and yet they’d always make their way back to each other. In fact, they have. A small, flame of hope arose back then; The very cause of the ache in his heart, first appeared at Master Yen Sid’s tower in the Sleeping World during his and Sora’s Mark of Mastery exam. 

  


The moment both of the Sound Ideas joined and turned into a song-  _ their _ song- he felt his heart squeeze and his chest begin to warm. The song’s name was Dearly Beloved, he knew, and he remembers leaving that world with rosy cheeks and hazy daydreams. The way Sora said his name after he woke in the real world, the way he hugged him in relief- all of these little, little flames grew into a raging fire by the time Sora left to Olympus to regain the power of Waking. Looking back on it, Riku realized that brick and stone wall he built was more accurately made out of sticks and hay, as that very fire started to burn away at the foundation, getting weaker with each passing day. His wall fell to shambles with the cold, bitter wind that accompanied Kairi’s announcement of her and Sora’s new relationship. 

  


Riku was a selfish fool for thinking anything would change. 

  


“Riku?” 

  


His eyes snapped towards Terra, his train of thought quickly halting to a stop. “What is it?” 

  


Terra frowned, walking over and setting a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked troubled, he could see it in his eyes. “What’s going on, bud? Why’re you crying?” 

  


Riku’s eyes widened, and his fingers shot up to his cheeks. Terra was right, he was crying- and it wasn’t just a singular tear. There were streams of tears running down both his cheeks, hitting the yellowed marble ledge he was seated on. He glanced back up and saw everyone’s attention was turned towards him. Ventus, Aqua, Lea, Xion, Pence- and behind them all, Sora holding a small plastic bag of ice cream with Kairi, Olette, Hayner, and Roxas not far behind. “Riku…” Sora spoke gently, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. 

  


Riku didn’t ask for this. 

  


He stood up, gently pushing Terra’s hand off his shoulder as he moved past everyone. His throat felt tight, his chest felt heavy, his entire body was shaking- he didn’t ask for everyone- or anyone- to see him like this. 

  


“Riku, wait!” Kairi quickly took hold of his hand in her own before he could leave, and he stopped in his tracks. He couldn’t face her. He felt a pitiful whine at the back of his throat, a sob threatening to escape his mouth, and he knew to look at Kairi would cause all of it to escape. And so, regretfully, he pried her hand out of his and made his way down the stairs. Behind him, he heard Aqua convincing everyone to give him some time alone, though Sora was the first to argue with her. Of course, he would. In any way, he’d have to thank Aqua, since no one followed him. 

  


Halfway down the tower, where he knew no one would be able to hear him, he let out a strangled sob. And then another, and then another. He brought his hand up to his mouth, tears streaming down his face as he leaned up against the stair railing, the world spinning under him. Feeling the harsh nothingness of the Dark Realm, feeling Ansem possess his body, fighting Xemnas and Xehanort, none of that could compare to the waves of white-hot pain he felt in his chest. It was nearly crippling, and Riku found himself falling to his knees and covering his mouth with both his hands, suppressing his hiccups and whimpers and cries. 

  


So there he stayed, sobbing his heart out to a boy whose heart was taken by another. And there he will stay when one sole thought crosses his mind:

  


_ ‘This weak, pitiful heart is what lead to Sora's first perilous adventure; I'm the catalyst, and now I'm paying the price.' _

  


**Author's Note:**

> ac·cept·ance
> 
> /əkˈseptəns/
> 
> noun
> 
> noun: acceptance; plural noun: acceptances
> 
> willingness to tolerate a difficult or unpleasant situation.


End file.
